Chapter 18: The Hunters (part 1)

Chapter 18: Chapter 18: The Hunters (part 1)

Ragnar tapped his finger against the armrest.

"They’re being careful."

That alone made him take them more seriously.

The first time Kyle had entered the dungeon, he had been completely alone and had almost died because of the goblin ambush. Now, whoever had returned clearly knew that this place was dangerous. They had probably prepared themselves before coming inside.

The moment Ragnar focused on one of the red dots, the system map suddenly changed.

The three-dimensional dungeon map faded away. And a transparent screen expanded in front of him, occupying almost his entire field of vision.

It looked almost exactly like a live television broadcast.

The image moved naturally, allowing Ragnar to see everything happening inside his dungeon from a different perspective.

The screen showed the entrance corridor.

Seven human figures were slowly walking through the stone passage.

Ragnar’s expression immediately became interested.

"So that’s them."

The first person Ragnar noticed was a familiar face.

Kyle.

Ragnar recognized him immediately.

It was the same hunter who had previously infiltrated his dungeon and nearly been killed by his goblins.

Kyle looked considerably different this time.

He was wearing a newly crafted set of leather armor that covered most of his torso and shoulders. The leather had been reinforced with additional layers around his vital areas, while several metal plates had been attached around his chest and forearms.

A longbow rested across his back, and a quiver filled with arrows hung beside it.

A short sword was fastened around his waist, and a hunting knife was secured to his thigh.

He no longer looked like an ordinary hunter.

He looked like someone preparing to enter a dangerous battlefield.

Behind Kyle were six other hunters.

Each one was equipped far better than the ordinary villagers Ragnar had imagined.

Some carried spears, and others held bows.

Two had sturdy wooden shields reinforced with iron around their edges.

Even their leather armor looked newly purchased.

Ragnar couldn’t help but whistle.

"Looks like they’ve been preparing."

He rested his chin against his palm.

"I guess Kyle really did tell them about this place."

The seven hunters continued deeper into the corridor.

Their footsteps echoed throughout the dungeon.

Step.

Step.

Step.

The sound traveled through the empty passage, growing louder as they advanced.

Kyle suddenly raised his hand, and the entire group stopped immediately.

Ragnar’s eyes narrowed.

"Good discipline."

Kyle slowly crouched down.

He touched the stone floor with his fingertips before examining the surrounding corridor.

"Everyone stay alert."

His voice was barely above a whisper.

"There are probably monsters nearby."

One of the younger hunters swallowed nervously.

"Are you sure?"

Kyle nodded.

"This is where I encountered the goblins last time."

His gaze swept across the corridor.

"They attacked me from multiple directions."

Another hunter tightened his grip around his spear.

"How many were there again?"

"At least eleven."

The man’s expression changed.

"Eleven..."

Kyle nodded.

"And don’t expect them to fight like ordinary goblins."

He slowly stood.

"They work together."

The hunters slowly continued forward.

Ragnar immediately noticed that they weren’t moving randomly.

Kyle remained at the front, and two hunters stayed slightly behind him on either side.

The remaining four maintained a loose formation around the center.

Nobody walked too far ahead, or lagged behind.

They were clearly afraid of being surrounded.

The hunters continued deeper into the dungeon, their weapons ready and their senses stretched to the limit.

Kyle remained at the front, carefully examining every corner of the corridor. He remembered the previous battle clearly. The goblins had attacked him from several directions, using numbers and coordination to nearly trap him inside the dungeon.

This time, however, they had come prepared, and had more people. Most importantly, they knew what they were dealing with.

At least, that was what they believed.

Kyle slowly raised his hand.

"Everyone, stay close."

The hunters immediately tightened their formation.

"We should be approaching the area where I encountered the goblins."

One of the younger hunters glanced around nervously.

"Then shouldn’t we see them soon?"

Kyle nodded.

"Probably."

Another hunter gripped his spear more tightly.

"Good. Once we see them, we’ll deal with them together."

The others nodded, they had already imagined how the battle would unfold.

The goblins would attack. The shields would block them. The spearmen would counterattack.

Kyle would eliminate the strongest ones.

After that, they would search the area for treasures.

Simple.

Straightforward.

Except, the dungeon was no longer the same dungeon Kyle had entered several days ago.

Inside the throne room, Ragnar watched the live display with a faint smile.

"They’re expecting goblins."

He leaned back against his throne.

"But unfortunately for them..."

"They’re going to meet something else."

Several days ago, Ragnar had already anticipated that humans might eventually return.

The eleven goblins were useful, but he didn’t intend to leave them at the front forever.

More importantly, they were the creatures he had originally relied upon to defend his dungeon.

He didn’t want them wasted in the first battle against a group of humans.

So, before the hunters arrived, Ragnar had personally relocated the goblins deeper into the dungeon.

He had moved their camp farther from the entrance and placed them behind several winding corridors.

That way, the goblins wouldn’t be the first line of defense.

They would be the final line.

If an enemy managed to survive everything Ragnar had placed between the entrance and the throne room, the goblins would be waiting for them.

And behind the goblins, was Ragnar’s boss room.

Ragnar looked at the live display again. The seven hunters were approaching the first major corridor.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"Let’s see how you deal with my new monsters."

The hunters stepped around a corner, and immediately froze.

There were no goblins.

Instead, three enormous wolves stood in the middle of the corridor.

Their gray fur bristled as they stared at the humans.

Their yellow eyes reflected the faint light from the dungeon walls.

One of them lowered its body, and another exposed its fangs.

The third slowly moved sideways, cutting off the hunters’ retreat.

Kyle’s expression changed.

"...Wolves?"